Liott



No. 6l3',364. Patented Nov. l, I898. J. n. ELLIOTT.

RAILROAD SPIKE.

(Application filed Dan. 31, 1897.)

(No Model.)

EEIcE.

UNITED STATES PATENT JAMES ROLLAND ELLIOTT, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE I-IERMANN WILSON, OF SAME PLACE.

RAILROAD-SPIKE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 613,364, dated November 1, 1898.

Application filed December 31,1897. Serial No. 664,911- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: in all the views of the drawings by the same Be it known that 1, JAMES ROLLAND EL- reference characters.

LIOTT, a citizen of the United States, residing In its general outline the spike has an orat St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have indinary profile, being pointed at one end, head- Vented a new and useful Railroad-Spike, of ed at the opposite end, and having the sides which the following is a specification. straight and slightly convergent toward the One of the chief causes of rails spreading point in the ordinary manner. The sides 1 and resulting in loss and damage to life and of the spike may be fiat and straight throughrolling-stock is the loosening of the spikes out their length and breadth or they may be 10 which hold the rails to the ties. Many and provided with longitudinaldepressions2,havvarious have been the attempts to overcome in g their origin a short distance from the head this difliculty, the most common being to tooth 3 and terminating atthe point. The depresor serrate the sides of the spikes with the insions 2 increase in depth toward a medial tent of securing a-positive engagement beline, reckoning from the longitudinal edges 15 tween the spikes and the timber into which of the sides 1, and the end portions of the dethey are driven. This toothing or serrating pressions gradually contract in width and of the spikes sides only partially obviates the depth and vanish in the respective sides of difficulty, as the spring or elasticity of the the spike. The depressions may have any disturbed fibers of a tie when driving a spike form in transverse section; but it is preferred 20 home is partially destroyed, the fibers becom to make them angling, as clearly indicated in ing set by being alternately compressed by Fig. 4 and the purpose of these depressions the series of teeth successively acting thereon. is to receive the fibers which spring therein, By this invention a positive lock is secured whereby the spike is prevented from turning between the spike and the tie and the spring in its opening when subjected to torsional 25 ornatural tendency of the separated fibers to strain. regain a natural position is not destroyed, and The front and rear sides of the spike are the interlocking action and friction between similarly formed and are provided with parthe spikes and tie result in securely and firmly allel V- shaped grooves 4, separated by a V- holding the spikes against accidental withshaped rib 5. The parallel or companion o drawal after being driven home. grooves at communicate a short distance from For a full understanding of the merits and the point, forming a shoulder 6, which is advantages of the invention reference is to rounding, and these grooves are deeper at the be had to the accompanying drawings and the pointed end of the spike than at the headed following description. end, and their terminal portions curve out- 3 5 The improvement is susceptible of various wardly in opposite directions, as indicated by 8 5 changes in the form, proportion, and the 7, whereby they present a finished appearminor details of construction without departance, and the fibers of the tie are deflected to ing from the principle or sacrificing any of insure a close joint and tight fit of the upper the advantages thereof, and to a full discloportion of the spike in its opening. The

40 sure of the invention an adaptation thereof grooves 4 have their origin a short distance is shown in the accompanying drawings, in from the head of the spike and gradually whichdeepen toward and terminate a short distance Figure 1 is a perspective view of a spike from the point. As aresult of this formation embodying the vital features of this invenof the grooves 4 the V- shaped ribs 5 converge 5 tion. Fig. 2 is a cross-section thereof, looktoward their lower ends, thereby leaving the ing toward the head. Fig. 3 is a perspective spike stouter at its upper end, which is necview of a modified form of spike. Fig. 4: is essary to enable it to withstand the blows a cross-section of the modification. rained thereon when driving it down into the Corresponding and like parts are referred tie. While it is preferred to have the front 5a to in the following description and indicated and rear sides of the spike provided with lco grooves and ribs, it is obvious that only one side may be so constructed; but for general use and especially when the spike is designed for rails for heavy traffic it is desirable to have both the front and rear sides formed in the manner set forth, as thereby a maximum anchorage or interlocking action between the spike and tie is had.

hen the spike is penetrating the tie under the action of the blows rained upon its head, the fibers of the tie are parted by the wedge-shaped point, and as they clear the shoulders 6 they spring outward into the grooves 4 over the said shoulders, thereby preventing the accidental or ready withdrawal of the spike. As the fibers spring over the shoulders 6 they are forced laterally by the inclined walls of the grooves 4 and are crowded into the latter, thereby insuring a firm and positive anchoring and interlocking between the spike and tie. After the spike is driven home the fibers of the timber above the shoulder (i will constitute a solid key or look above the said shoulders, thereby preventing the withdrawal of the spike by the vibratory action of the rails incident to traffic thereover or by the tendency of the rails to warp due to change in temperature, resulting in contraction and expansion.

The various grooves and depressions may be formed by stamping, milling, or casting, or in any of the ways commonly resorted to in the mechanic arts for providing similar parts, so it may enable the invention to be placed upon the market at about the same cost as the ordinary spike.

The lower ends of the ribs 5 converge laterally and from the front, providing points to the penetrating ends of the ribs and a maximum amount of shoulder-surface 6 for the fibers of the tie to engage with and form a secure lock.

By constructing the spike in the manner set forth it will be longer than a spike of like size with the same amount of material and will secure a firmer hold in the tie or timber and will drive as easily as any of the spikes in use, and can be used over again and straightened when bent.

It is to be understood that the spike will be made in various sizes and different lengths according to the size and weight of the rail or other part to be secured thereby.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is l. A spike having spaced longitudinal grooves formed in a side thereof andhaving the upper extremities of said grooves inclining upwardly and outwardly in opposite directions and opening out through and intersecting with the sides adjacent to the grooved side of the spike, substantially as set forth.

2. A spike having longitudinal and parallel grooves of approximately V form in a side, said grooves deepening toward the point of the spike, and communicating with each other in a rounded shoulder a short distance above the point of the spike, and being separated by an approximately V-shaped rib, the latter being beveled or pointed at its lower extremity substantially as set forth.

3. A spike provided in a side with parallel and longitudinal grooves communicating and forming a shoulder a short distance from the end of the spike, and having their upperends curving in opposite directions and terminating a short distance from the head of the spike, substantially as set forth for the purpose specified.

4. A spike having a side provided with longitudinal and parallel V-shaped grooves, separated by a V-shaped rib, said grooves gradually deepening toward the point of the spike and communicating forming a rounded shoulder, and said grooves having their upper ends curving outwardlyin outward directions,sub* stantially as set forth for the purpose specified.

5. A spike having its front and rear sides similarly formed and provided with longitudinal and parallel V-shaped grooves separated by a V-shaped rib, said grooves gradually deepening toward the end of the spike and communicating forming shoulders 21. short distance from the point, the upper ends of the grooves curving in opposite directions, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

(5. A railroad-spike, constructed substantially as set forth, having its opposite sides provided with longitudinal depressions having their origin a short distance from the head and terminating at the point, and having their end portions contracted in width and depth and merging into the said sides, and having the front and rear sides of thespike provided with longitudinal and parallel grooves separated by a V-shaped rib and gradually deepening toward the point, and communicating, forming shoulders a short distance from the said point, and having the upper ends of the grooves curving in opposite directions, substantially as shown for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES ROLLAND ELLIOTT.

\Vitnesses:

DAVID RANKEN, OTTO T. O. OoLoNIUs. 

